In the spirit of 52WoC #49, I am sharing something love-related on my blog. My absolute favorite band Angels & Airwaves has released their new album LOVE and it is currently available for free!
I love AVA’s previous two albums You Don’t Need to Whisper and I-EMPIRE, so if you haven’t heard those before I would encourage you to check those out too. I think they are a little bit stronger albums than LOVE, but all of their material pulls me in. It’s a combination of Tom DeLounge’s voice and the gravitational force of the music that gets me. As for favorite tracks this time around, The Flight of Apollo (especially around the five minute mark) and Soul Survivor are right up there!
Enjoy!
[photo credit Angels & Airwaves]
by Kari on February 6, 2010
in Share
I was tagged by Shai to find seven red things around the house to share. As I don’t have a lot of red anything, I knew this would be a bit of a challenge. It was the perfect activity to allow myself a little mini-break this afternoon while I was working on my paper. As it turns out, I apparently own only 10 red things to begin with, so I am most pleased with my findings.
Moving from left to right and down are as follows:
1. A bar bell piece of body jewelry 2. A candle holder that sits with my colored glass collection 3. One of my many Lil Miss shirts 4. My Martha Stewart Recipe Box 5. Murphy’s Santa’s Little Helper Christmas shirt 6. Apples to Apples, one of my favorite games 7. North Carolina book, because it’s where I’ve always planned on moving one day.
As for tagging others, I will opt to encourage anyone who would like to join to do so. Also, please do let me know if it’s ever time for a 7 Purple Things or 7 Blue Things meme. It won’t be as challenging of a hunt, but I will certainly be able to deliver 
Side of the house covered in ice
I have made it safely through phase one of the January winter storm in Tulsa with nothing more than a little flickering from the lights. This is a far cry from the last bad ice storm here in December 2007 when the city was dark and damaged for weeks. What seems to have saved Tulsa so far is being prepared from the lessons learned in ‘07. As of this morning, the western part of Oklahoma took the hardest hit over night and there are over 69,700 still without power. My thoughts are with these folks that they are able to stay warm and sheltered as the storm continues.
Frozen branches outside the window
As we move into phase two of the storm, snow is due to be plentiful spilling somewhere around 3-6 inches on the ground. When I first moved here more than two and a half years ago, I found it almost humorous the way people reacted to inclement weather throughout the state. My Dakota roots have seen me through countless blizzards, feet of snow and ice, negative temperatures, etc. It’s second nature to me. What I understand now about Tulsa, is that the city is just not build for these sorts of conditions nor do the majority of people know how to drive in them. I am glad to see though, that they city is learning from the experiences of ‘07 and being prepared this time around and exercising caution. For all anybody knows with natural disaster after disaster around the world, this could be the new norm.
The snow is due to begin around noon here give or take an hour. I’m hoping for more fun and less destruction for everybody effected by the storm. Kids do love snow days! In the meantime, I will continue to err on the side of caution with my fireplace logs ready to go, and a small supply of food and water to see me through.
This post has been sitting in my drafts for weeks, so I apologize for the delay. Just when you think life can’t get any busier or chaotic, it’s usually about the time it does. As promised, I’ve gathered a few photos from my travels over break to share here. I got the uploading done shortly after my return, but am just now getting to this post due to the unpredictability of life.
1. Docks from Causeway , 2. Amber Sunset, 3. Pink & Yellow, 4. Welcome, 5. Turtle Mail, 6. Choppy Waters, 7. Golf Course, 8. Mama’s Birthday Host, 9. My Room, 10. Water Sports, 11. Christmas Colors, 12. Tree in a Tree
These are just a handful of photos I took on the island, and the full set may be viewed on Flickr. Be sure to login if we are contacts on Flickr for a few extra shots.
In the spirit of getting up to speed on things, a project that I am honored to be part of made it’s soft launch online earlier this month! Founder Shai Coggins has done it again with KIDoosh – For the Love of Kids! So what exactly is KIDoosh all about? The home page says it best as a “content and community site for parents, teachers, and other carers of kids”. From daily care and books, to music and crafts, KIDoosh is one to watch in 2010! In addition to the site, please feel free to stay connected via the KIDoosh Twitter and Facebook Pages
Moving right down the line, the academic semester kicked off with a bit of a rocky start. Nothing short of chaos with classes being delayed and a holiday right off the bat, I have yet to find my footing. My plate is overflowing and I haven’t even experienced a normal full week back on campus. That said, things can only move up from here!
Of my many classes I seem to have a soft spot for my Library Media course. Telling a kid at heart that they are required to read thousands of pages of children’s books before semester’s end is more like music to my ears rather than nails to the chalkboard.
As I set sail on my book reading journey, I’m pleased to say I already came across a book that I adore and can’t wait to share it with my nephews. Published in 2005 and a Caldecott Medal holder, The Hello, Goodbye Window is such a lovely book! While the story follows a day in the life of a little girl, I was most moved by the beautiful illustrations. If you have elementary aged kids or even younger, I recommend checking it out at your next trip to the library!
Now near the end of the month and about to tiptoe into February, I hope you will be patient with me in the coming weeks. My presence here may be more sparse than usual as I work on getting my new routine down, and fight to resolve some respiratory issues that have been plaguing me. With a little luck and positive thinking, I hope to be a much more bright eyed and bushy tailed camper in no time at all. Until then, I hope you are all enjoying your weekend and will stop by and say hello over at KIDoosh!
I’m running behind after being away from home for the past couple of weeks, but being on holiday didn’t prevent me from journaling about my word for the new year. Last year I was incredibly late with my Word of the Year, Evolve, which I did plenty of and continue to do so day after day. Not surprisingly, it took me awhile to settle on which word would best represent the challenges and achievements I hope to both tackle and overcome in 2010. After much consideration and jumping back and fourth between two or three choices, I finally decided Believe would be the most suitable.
When I think about all the things going on in my life and the world, Believe seemed like an obvious choice. In terms of having faith in something (in a non-religious manner), I know it is something that at one time or another, can be a struggle no matter who or what it involves. There are three subareas I recorded in my journal beneath my Word of the Year.
The World: I need to believe that the world will recover from it’s weakened state, and will offer some relief to all the suffering that has been on the rise.
Myself: I have been so fortunate and blessed this past year that I sometimes think it’s too good to be true. I therefore must believe in myself that I have worked very hard to get where I am, and that so long as I continue to do so the future is bright. Being your own worst critic clouds your confidence, and this is something that I always struggle with.
My Sister: This is perhaps the most important of all for me. In the past I have ‘adopted’ soldiers who are deployed mailing them cards, care packages, etc. It is so much easier to stay positive when a stranger is involved, but now that soldier has a face, and it is that of my sister. Now is the time to be strong for someone who already knows my weaknesses. I need to believe above all, that my sister will be healthy and safe until she can come home to us and be out of harms way.
Who knew one little word could carry so much weight and meaning? As the year progresses, I hope to do the same. I know things aren’t always served sunny-side-up, but sometimes all a person or situation needs to step out on the other side, is for you to believe they will.
You would think that while on holiday a girl could find the time to post on her blog, but it seems to be easier said than done. As I am nearing the final days of visiting my family, I thought I could squeak in a quick hello without anybody realizing I’ve snuck off!
I had a wonderful Christmas celebrating with my family and family friends, who I refer to as my extended family. It seems like since I got to the island it’s been one celebration after another, and it’s been so wonderful seeing everyone.
Santa was very good to me this year bring my favorite lotion, books, camera filters, and some new Martha Stewart craft punches. Between all of that AND some other miscellaneous goodies I feel more than blessed to say the least!
I’m beginning to think I’m getting too old to stay up for New Years Eve as it was a struggle this year. While I had a lovely time playing my favorite game Apples to Apples with family and friends, I had to really work to make it to midnight! In my defense, I had played hard that day which included going on a walk so long that Murph couldn’t finish with his short little legs. Walking in the hot sun is enough, but carrying another 13 lbs on top of that is even more work!
While I still feel like I’m recovering from all the holiday festivities, I have one final celebration tonight. My Mother and I spent the morning preparing hors d’oeuvres for my special birthday BBQ tonight. What was meant to be a small and intimate affair somehow grew and grew since mailing out a mere three invitations to my nearest and dearest. As they say though, the more the merrier, and if more people want to wish me well, then who am I to complain? I will still have my special birthday breakfast tomorrow on the proper date and open cards from my family and friends, so technically I will get to be spoiled two days in a row!
Between all of these gatherings I have been up to my usual island fun going on walks and bike rides with Murph, eating way too many king crab legs, and admiring shells and sunsets by the ocean. While it is true I have already finished the 400 page novel Santa brought me (I did try to pace myself), I have had little difficulty filling up my time between events.
Now that things are beginning to wind down I hope to post some photos here very soon to share with you all. Not having wifi in my parent’s home has been more than a switch in gears for me, but hey eventually we’ve all got to unplug and put our feet up – just be careful for the gators!
After sneaking in moments here and there since October, I managed to get my annual holiday cards made, stamped, and sent off to their recipients. I did a lot of different ones this year as each time I revisited the task my mood took me to different places.
Different moods yield equally different results
I’ve never been a very big fan of red and green together, so a lot of my designs end up in blues and silver for a wintery feel. I did of course do some more traditional color schemes using the red and green even though it goes against my comfort palette. I also did a few sketches in pencil before sprinkling them with glitter.
I loved this template from MarthaStewart.com!
I can’t ever decided which cards I like best, especially when they are all so different, but there were at least a few that I was especially pleased with this year. The hardest part of the whole process I have found is decided who gets what card. Believe it or not, these are not quick decisions. Some cards seem to have a certain recipient’s name written all over, while others leave me scratching my head as I attempt to make the perfect match.
Now that all is said and done the best part of all comes. I love that I’ve heard from some family and friends who received their card, but more enjoyable of course is receiving cards from them in the mail. I don’t normally expect any from other than maybe my immediate family, so anything beyond that is my cup of jolly!
Lacing ribbon is time consuming but lovely
Since switching to handmade cards these past few years, I’ve learned a lesson or two in what works and what doesn’t, what I like and what I don’t. I have even branched out further by starting to make some cards for other occasions for my snail mailings (I need something constructive to do with all of my papers and stickers!).
I was smart this year and cashed in on some last minute Christmas savings on papers and other supplies that were marked way down from their original price. I’m already looking forward to making next year’s batch just paging through the new scrapbook paper tablets and other goodies.
Mixing old designs with the new
As a final greeting to anybody whom I may have overlooked in the craziness of my year, I would like to wish you all safe travels and warm gatherings with your loved ones in the coming days, and of course a most Merry Christmas to All!
A few months ago I was on my way out with the trash in hand to be put in the bin. It had started to sprinkle and I was running late, but it didn’t stop me from noticing something sitting next to the trash bin. Oddly enough, I had just gotten a dining room table passed onto me a month prior. I loved the idea of having somewhere to pull up a chair as I had long gotten rid of all my old furniture when I has last moved out of state.
As luck would have it, I noticed 4 matching dining chairs sitting on the ground left behind by their owner. I hadn’t had any time to find chairs to go with my table at that point, and immediately felt as though I was being smiled upon. I didn’t know what kind of shape the chairs were in, but between running late and the rain droplets that were beginning to fall more heavily, I quickly gathered the four chairs and loaded them into my SUV.
In need of a makeover
After I got home from class that afternoon, I evaluated the chairs to see what kind of work they needed. The black chair frames were a perfect match to my black wooden table, and I was stoked! I didn’t much care for the gold, but all in all it was a minor detail. The main problem with the chairs were the microfiber 80s styled cushions which reeked of cigarette smoke, and the chair wood bases which were cut way too large for the chair frame.
It took some messing around, removal of 437 million staples, drilling, new boards and fresh fabric, but all in all I think they turned out rather nicely.
New fabric for an old chair
After comparing samples with my then visiting mother, I chose a fabric that was much more suited to my earthy casual decorating habits. The greens and blues were much lighter and more soothing than the out of place space aged looking microfiber.
After the foam had been resized and the fresh wood my father kindly got for me had been cut, the new cushions were reassembled with the fabric stabled and boards drilled.
A fresh and more modern look
My dining table final got a proper set of chairs that were both functional and fun. While I still like to work on the floor a lot as my inner-child takes over, it’s been nice that if I have a dinner party or need a decent work surface I at least have the option now.
As Christmas is now less than two weeks away, I finally got a little wish list together for 52WoC Task #47! I actually had a semi-difficult time compiling a list for once. This of course means I feel fulfilled as things are, but with a little virtual window shopping I was able to find a few things I wouldn’t turn away
Goodies for the holidays!
* The Powerpuff Girl Complete Series boxed dvd set: I will never outgrow my love for cartoons, and the Powerpuff Girls are no exception!
* Nut & Bee Goodies: My international bestie got me hooked on N&B products after sending me some for a birthday gift one year. I love all of the stuff Annette dreams up including stamps, papers and stickers! Think cutsie characters with a little attitude.
* Burt’s Bees Goodies: I am a huge fan of Burt’s Bees chapsticks and lip shimmers, and can never have enough of them. I always have at least one tube with me to keep my lips soft and moist, especially in the winter!
* Martha Stewart Craft Punches: I have been addicted to these since their birth and have a small but growing collection of them. They are wonderful for all the paper crafting I do, and so much fun. The truth is, I love pretty much all of Martha’s products!
* Miscellaneous Goodies: A few other things I thought should go on my list include my favorite lotion that I’ve used for the last decade from Bath and Body Works, the New Super Mario Bros for Wii game, the Polaroid Pogo camera for on the go photos, and last but certainly not least a new baby for Murph!
As for things I actually need, I would say a wish list could be best summed up with a desire for things to continue in my life as they are. From my friendships which I hold dear and the health and well being of my family, to success in my educational and creative pursuits and my overall appreciation for life’s blessings. I wish for everyone to have a warm bed to sleep in and food for proper nourishment, and finally for those who may not yet see things clearly to show love and kindness to somebody in need.
It’s a tall order to fill, but that friends is why it’s called a wish list. You may not get everything you are hoping for, but it shouldn’t stop you from wishing for the possibilities that may one day come true.
I’m running on caffeine fumes tonight having stayed up too late the past couple of nights. Believe it or not, as busy as I’ve been I need the distraction. The past month has been a bit of a roller coaster, and while the ride has been full of mostly thrills, it’s only natural that what goes up must come down.
For my Thanksgiving break I was due to head out of town to spend the holidays with my sister and her family. I was three days away from leaving when my baby bunny, Pancakes, started acting up. I noticed he hadn’t been drinking as much water for some reason. By the next day when I took him to the vet, he had also refrained from eating a great deal. I learned in the small square room that Panny had pneumonia, but was expected to make a full recovery upon starting his treatment.
After getting a breathing treatment, the vet sent us home where I gave Pancakes his medicine and made him comfortable with a soft towel and anything else he might need. Because I didn’t leave his side, I remain confused and distressed as to what went wrong in the coming hours. By a few minutes after eleven that night, Pancakes had died in my arms after suffering what appeared to be a heart attack. To say its been awful for me would be a sugar coating things. My animals are my kids, and I love them fiercely. As I continue to struggle with the loss of Panny, it does get a little easier as time helps my heart heal, though I am far from recovered from his absence.
Seeing my sister and nephews only a matter of hours later helped me a lot. I’m not sure what I will do if I ever have children of my own, because I cannot possibly imagine loving any other little human beings more than I love those two boys. They don’t need to do more than smile to make my heart melt, and when they look up at me with the wonder only a child can have, anything troubling me seems to disappear into thin air. It was so wonderful and such a blessing to have the opportunity to spend quality time with my sister and her family over Thanksgiving. It was a very special trip as I will not be able to see or talk to my sister quite as regularly for a period of time due to her work obligations, and it was important to me that I had that time with her.
All things considered, it only makes sense in my mind that the year is coming to an end. Final exams are only a week away, and things are moving quickly. I finally finished making my holiday cards that I started back in October, and boy is it a good thing I started when I did! My internationals have been posted, and now I am down to my US friends and family. By the time I get those mailed out, it will be nearly time to pack my suitcase all over again.
While I won’t be as lucky as last year when my entire family was able to be together for Christmas, I will be grateful for having the next best thing. I had an early Christmas celebration with my sister and her family, and I will be celebrating with the rest of my family on the actual date. Even though Christmas is the last official holiday of the year, I won’t be putting away my decorations just yet. I will be having a milestone birthday a couple of days after the new year, and am having a party to celebrate! Some people dread turning another year older, but for me, it is just one more thing to say goodbye to. The awkwardness of any quarter life crises will finally be over, and in my new age bracket I believe I will find a much better fit.
Without getting too far ahead of myself, right now I just hope to finish strong at uni, and progress step by step. The kid and I will keep doing what it is we do (me working hard, him snoring little doggie snores), and continue to adjust to life without Pancakes. Time waits for no one, so it’s important to make the most of the moments we have, live as passionately as we are meant to.
